Comparison theorems for conjoined bases of linear Hamiltonian differential systems and the comparative index (Q739523)

This paper contains original and very interesting results on the Sturmian theory of linear Hamiltonian differential systems on a bounded interval \([a,b]\). In particular, for two such systems satisfying the Sturmian majorant condition for their Hamiltonians and under the Legendre condition for both systems the author derives comparison theorems for the numbers of (left) proper focal points of their conjoined bases. The method involves a~transformation result by \textit{O. Došlý} [``Relative oscillation of linear Hamiltonian differential systems'', Math. Nachr. (to appear)] and an own concept of a~comparative index. The results do not impose any controllability assumption and hold therefore for any (possibly abnormal) linear Hamiltonian systems. The paper constitutes a~major contribution to the qualitative theory of linear Hamiltonian systems and Sturm-Liouville differential equations. Some of the results concerning the Sturmian separation theorems and the limit properties of the comparative index were independently derived by the reviewer and \textit{P. Šepitka} [J. Differ. Equations 262, No. 2, 914--944 (2017; Zbl 1375.34052)].